Acrobatic figure toy



April 3, 1956 E. HANDLER ETAL 2,740,232

ACROBATIC FIGURE TOY Filed April 15, 1953 ELL/OT HANDLER,

SEYMOUR ADLER 8 LESTER 7. STORMON,

INVENTORS- HUE'BNER, BEEHLER, WORREL & HERz/c.

A T TORNE V5.

United States Patent ACROBATIC FIGURE TOY Elliot Handler, Seymour Adler,and Lester T. Stormon, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application April 13, 1953, Serial No. 348,321

3 Claims. (Cl. 46--118) This invention relates to mechanical toys andmore particularly to a new and improved drive means of elastic qualityby which ordinarily unexpected and sometimes unpredictable action isinduced. More particularly the in vention as it is embodied in thedevice disclosed herein by way of example comprises an elongate rubberand elastic belt or the like of preferred endless type trained betweenpulleys, one of which is driven and the other of which is keyed to ashaft defining a horizontal bar to which a clown-like or other figurineis keyed for acrobatic rotation and movement relative to and around thebar.

Prior art devices simulating a character and construction like thatherein described and claimed conventionally employ direct drive meanseither lacking a lost motion component or incorporating such a componentin a predictable, manipulable and controllable manner.

It is intended by the instant invention to incorporate a drive means inassociation with an elastic drive so as to provide play in the joints ofthe apparatus and thereby incorporate a relatively free, sportive and tosome extent at least uncontrolled random motion, and wherein an optionalmusical device directly connected to the drive is playable with a speedor variationin those embodiments where the drive means is under manualcontrol-according to the whim of the operator. By the latter combinationof free play and controlled musical action a device or toy having a highinterest level of potentially indefinite duration is obtained.

It is among the objects of this invention to provide a new and improvedtoy or the like device embodying the desired features and mode ofoperation above described, either individually or collectively.

It is another object of the invention to provide a new and improveddrive means for incorporation into a toy or other device of the generalcharacter described.

Another further object of the invention is to provide in such a new andimproved device of any desired character, but particularly an amusementor toy device, a primary driving means, a music-making mechanismpreferably under the control of an operator, and a second spectacularmeans driven by the primary means including the interposition of a newand improved driving means between said primary and secondary means forproducing sportive activity in the spectacular means.

This invention also has among its objects the provision of improvementsover prior art devices heretofore intended to accomplish generallysimilar purposes.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in theconstruction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of thedevice whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter setforth, pointed out in the appended claims and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a side elevational view of an acrobatic toy embodying thisinvention.

Figure 2 is a front view thereof in vertical section as on a line 22 ofFigure 1.

Figure 3 is a bottom view thereof.

Referring more particularly to the drawings there is shown by way ofillustration as stated, but not of strict limitation, a clown-likefigurine generally designated at 2,740,232 Patented Apr. 3, 1956 10supported for movement upon and relative to a stand generally designatedat 11 including a horizontal bar 12 rotatably mounted upon the stand andto which the arms 13 of the clown are respectively keyed in any desiredconventional manner as by squaring the bar, as shown in transversesection in Figure 1 at least in the area in which the hands 14 of theclown grip the same.

The clown preferably comprises a body 15 integral with a head 16 andneck 17. The body may be clothed in any suitable manner as with a fabriccoat and vest 18 and 19, respectively. The legs 20 of the figurine intheir main body portion are preferably merely the fabric of a pair ofpants 21 comprising a part of the vestment of the figurine and securedin any desirable manner to the body 15 thereof. A pair of shoes 22, mostdesirably formed of some material such as lead or other metal orplastic, are secured to the fabric legs 20 in any conventional manner asby gluing. Thereby the legs 20 are individually free to swing and danglefrom the body 15.

The arms 13 are pivoted as at 23 upon opposite sides of the body butalways radial to the bar 12, and the body 15 is normally verticallydisposed in a depending aspect from the bar 12, except when under theinfluence of a centrifugal force tending to rotate the same over andaround the bar, at which latter time the figurine is also free to rotaterelative to the arms 13 around the horizontal pivot 23 for the body Thestand 11 preferably comprises two uprights 25 comprising spacedindividually hollow and upwardly tapered members, most desirably ofsheet metal optionally closed at the top as by a sheet metal cap 26. Theuprights 25 are mounted in said vertical spaced relationship as upon asheet metal base or the like 27 by means of any suitable shoulders andears 28 so that when the bottom edge 29 of the base is placed upon aflat surface the device is vertically supported in a position for use asshown in Figures 1 and 2.

A dome 30 positioned between the uprights 25 has ears 31, for example,adapted to engage through corresponding slots 32 in the base forcontaining a musical comb 33 riveted thereto and a musical belt 34 withprotuberances 35 thereon for playing and plucking the wires 36 of thecomb.

The belt 34 is mounted for rotation upon an axle 37 and shaft 38, thelatter extending through suitable apertures at 40 and 41 in the dome 30and also through one of the uprights 25 for journalled rotation therein.The axle 38 at its outer end 42 is shaped to form a crank having apreferred rotatable knob 43 thereon driving the axle 38 and the musicalbelt 34.

Also keyed to the shaft 38 is a pulley wheel 45 corresponding with asimilar pulley wheel 46, the latter being keyed to the bar 12.

An elastic endless belt 47 preferably having a circular cross-section istrained around the pulleys 45 and 46 with sufiicient tension that itwill not slip upon rotation of the crank 42 despite the weight of thebody of the clown. Such belt 47 is most desirably of rubber or similarresilient, elastic material.

In the use of the instant toy the crank 4'2 is rotated in apredetermined direction thereby turning the belt 34 whose pluckingprotuberances 35 pluck the free ends of the wires 36 to create a musicalmelody which is transmitted through the frame 48 and by rivetssupporting the same through the dome 30 which thereby can function as asounding board to amplify the tone.

Simultaneously, said rotation of the crank 42 in a clockwise direction,for example, relative to Figure 1, places the upward-moving run 50 ofthe belt 47 in tension and relieves tension upon the downward-moving run51, due to the weight of the body 15, legs 20 and shoes 22 of the clown.

The amount of tension in the upward-moving run 59 required to move theclown body upwardly so that it will somersault over the bar 12 can beadjusted or predetermined depending upon the weight of the clown and theelasticity and strength of the belt 47. It will be found that the clowncan be made to somersault over the bar with a sudden movement on accountof the loaded and tensioned condition of the upwardly moving run 50 ofthe belt (which is frictionally held from losing its tension by itsengagement with the grooves of the pulleys 45 and 46) sometime prior tothe time when the horizontal pivot 23 is in top dead center position.This is because the run 56 of the belt normally forces the clown intosudden somersaulting action at a point counter-clockwise, but less than180 degrees, from the top dead center position of the pivot 2.: over thebar 12.

Once the clown has moved over the bar 12, and depending upon theelasticity and tension of the belt 47 relative to the weight of theclown, one or several somersaults can be made to occur in rapidsuccession. These somersaults can also, if desired, be caused to overrunthe belt 47 and thereby load the opposite run 51 thereof due to the factthat unless such continued clockwise rotation of the crank then rapidlyand instantaneously follows, the clown will, by its rapid rotationaround the bar 12, overtake the normal rotation of the pulley 45 bymeans of the crank 42.

But, in the event the crank at the above-mentioned instant of release ofthe clown is reversed in its rotation, the run 51 will be overloadedmore rapidly.

Again if the rotation of the crank 42 is stopped at the instant orshortly after the release of the clown, an intermediate amount ofrotation or number of revolutions of the clown around the bar will occurbefore the belt is overloaded in the opposite direction.

It can be appreciated that if the belt 47 is sufiiciently overloaded insaid opposite direction the figurine will then, without furthercranking, reverse its direction of rotation around the bar.

The crank 42 is also rotatable in a reverse direction in a manner toplay the tune upon the musical belt 34 backwards and thereby reverserotation of the clown around the bar can be made to occur to the tune ofan unfamiliar musical accompaniment.

The erratic and usually unpredictable forward and reverse gyrations,somersaults, and other activities of the clown thereby produce a toy ofunusual interest.

By way of illustration and as previously stated, the shoes 22 of theclown may be of metal, plastic or any other suitable material evenincluding leather or ceramic clay. The pants, coat and vest are mostadvantageously L of fabric, while the body and head of the clown may beof Plastic or ceramic with or without headgear or other material. Thebar 12 is preferably of metal while the arms 13 of the clown may be ofmetal, plastic or other preferably, though not necessarily, rigidmaterial.

The bar at its end 53 may be upset to prevent its withdrawal through itsjournalled opening 41 in the upright 25. Said upright in all other partsof the device except the belts 35 and 47 may be of metal. The pulleys 45and 46 are, however, preferably of hard rubber, wood or plastic, as isthe knob 43, to improve their frictional engagement with the belt 47.Such belts 35 and 47 are of preferred resilient rubbery nature and thesecharacteristics are of course indispensable, to the operation of thistoy in the manner above described.

While we have, herein shown and described our invention in what we haveconceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it isrecognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of ourinvention, which is not to be limited to the details disclosed hereinbut is to be accorded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace anyand all equivalent devices.

Having described our invention, what we claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

I. In an amusement device comprising frame means,

primarily rotatable means including musical means mounted on the framemeans and operable by said primary means, said primary means furtherincluding crank means for manual operation of said primary means, andsecondary rotatable, driven spectacular means rotatably mounted in theframe in spaced relationship to said primary means, said spectacularmeans including a weighted means constituting the greater part of themass of the spectacular means and normally adapted to retain saidsecondary means in a predetermined rotative position wherein saidweighted means depends therefrom; the novelty comprising: frictionpulley means secured to said primary and secondary means in drivenrelationship to the primary means and in driving relationship to thesecondary means, an elastic endless belt trained in tension around anddrivingly interconnecting said pulley means, the center of gravity ofthe weighted means being spaced radially from the axis of rotation ofthe spectacular means and the weight of the weighted means beingsufiicient to cause a stretching of the belt means in the arcuatelifting of said weighted means by means of said secondary and beltmeans, the belt means having sufficient tensile strength to overcome theweight of said weighted means in a stretched condition of the beltmeans.

2. An amusement device comprising a base, crank means rotatable in thebase, a pulley coaxial with and non-rotatably mounted on said crankmeans, two spaced apart upright members mounted on the base, spectacularmeans positioned between and rotatably mounted on the upright membersand spaced above the base, the center of gravity of said spectacularmeans being spaced radially from the axis of rotation thereof, a pulleycoaxial with and non-rotatably mounted on the spectacular means, and anendless rubber belt trained around and drivingly interconnecting saidpulleys, the weight of the spectacular means being sufficient to causestretching of the belt during that part of a complete rotation of thespectacular means on its axis when the center of gravity of thespectacular means travels upwardly from the base the belt means havingsufiicient tensile strength to overcome the weight of said weightedmeans in a stretched condition of the belt means.

3. An amusement device comprising a base, primary rotatable meansincluding musical means mounted in the base and crank means for manualoperation of the musical means, a pulley non-rotatably fixed on thecrank means, two spaced apart upright members mounted on the base,spectacular means positioned above the base and consisting of ahorizontal bar and a jointed and weighted figurine fixed at one endthereof on the bar whereby the figurine depends from the bar, said barbeing rotatably mounted between and on the upright members andconstituting the axis of rotation of the spectacular means, saidfigurine constituting the greater part of the mass of the spectacularmeans whereby the center of gravity of the spectacular means is spacedradially from the axis of rotation of the spectacular means, a pulleycoaxial with and non-rotatably mounted on the bar, and an endless rubberbelt trained around and drivingly interconnecting said pulleys, theweight of the figurine being sufficient to cause stretching of the beltduring that part of its rotation around said axis of rotation when thefigurine travels up wardly from the base the belt means havingsuflicient tensile strength to overcome the weight of said weightedmeans in a stretched condition of the belt means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS466,980 Hotchkiss Jan. 12, 1892 594,193 Cheney Nov. 23, 1897 819,051Fechtig May 1, 1906 1,329,623 Meuer Feb. 3, 1920 1,357,937 Asplet Nov.9, 1920

